1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a process of fractionating electrophoretogram signals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electrophoresis has been used for isolation and analysis of substances. As an example, isolation of various components in serum proteins by electrophoresis will be explained. Usually, a concentration pattern of serum protein which is obtained by electrophoresis has a plurality of maxima and minima. The concentration pattern is generally fractionated into five fractions; namely, albumin (Alb) fraction, .alpha..sub.1 -globulin fraction, .alpha..sub.2 -globulin fraction, .beta.-globulin fraction and .gamma.-globulin fraction. The boundary positions of different components are determined by detecting the minima in the density pattern. More particularly, the boundary points are determined by an electric process based on the fact that the differential of the concentration versus time pattern is zero at the minima. Such an electric process of the prior art has a shortcoming. As long as the concentration pattern has clearly defined minima the process functions satisfactorily. If the boundary positions of adjacent fractions are not minima, but merely points of inflection due to the nearness of adjacent maxima of the concentration pattern or other reasons, the differential of the concentration pattern is not zero at such non-minimum points of inflection so that the boundary positions between adjacent fractions cannot be determined.